A Canadian woman is suing a fertility clinic after alleging her husband ran off with the couple's nurse.

Po Leung, 44, claims her husband Stuart Westcott was having a secret affair with their nurse Wendy Shanks during their $60,000 (£38,000) treatment.

She became pregnant through in-vitro fertilisation after several years of treatment at the fertility clinic, which she has now launched a lawsuit against as well as the nurse and facility director.

Suing: Po Leung, 44 (pictured), claims her husband Stuart Westcott was having a secret affair with their nurse Wendy Shanks during their fertilisation treatment. She alleges the nurse abused her position of 'power, trust and influence'

The lawsuit alleges Shanks 'abused her position of power, trust and influence as her medical care provider' and exploited that position to pursue a sexual relationship.

Wescott broke the news he was leaving Po, his partner of four years, the day after she became pregnant - and tragically within two weeks she suffered a miscarriage and lost the baby.

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Po, an investment adviser who lives in Ontario, Canada, believes the miscarriage was triggered by the news of the affair.

She said: 'It was one of the best days of my life - I was thrilled. After three years and $60,000 we had finally reached our goal. But the next day was the worst day of my life.

'What really hurt me the most was that my health-care professionals had so profoundly betrayed me while I was at my most vulnerable.

'I remember saying "do not do this, not right now". I really wanted to give this baby the best chance but he just left and was gone for hours.

Stuart Wescott, pictured, broke the news he was leaving Po, his partner of four years, the day after she became pregnant - and tragically within two weeks she suffered a miscarriage and lost the baby

Stuart Westcott and his wife Po Leung had spent $60,000 (£38,000) on years' of treatment before Po finally fell pregnant. But she lost the baby, two weeks after Westcott left her

'I confronted him but he didn't give her up right away. However he said she was the most special person, the kindest, most compassionate person he had ever met. He was enthralled.

'We trusted everything she said. She portrayed herself as happily married with two kids.

'She told me both her kids are from fertility treatments, that she knew how hard it is and not to give up. She said her husband and her were still paying off their loans.'

Po, who became pregnant on March 24, 2010, has now launched a $400,000 lawsuit against Shanks, the Markham Fertility Centre, near Toronto, Ontario, and the facility's director Dr. Colette Pyselman.

The statement of claim reads: 'Shanks intentionally used Po's private medical treatment and information as an excuse to repeatedly contact Stuart and foster an intimate relationship with him, without Po's knowledge or permission.'

When she complained to the Markham clinic's director, Pyselman relayed that confidential information to Shanks to 'warn, protect and defend Shanks and the reputation of the clinic,' the lawsuit alleges.

Mrs Leung said: 'I remember saying "do not do this, not right now". I really wanted to give this baby the best chance but he just left and was gone for hours.' Pictured, Westcott, left

The lawsuit says Shanks' employers 'breached their fiduciary duty owed to Po' because they failed to protect her from the harm inflicted by their employee and failed to investigate and report Shanks to the College of Nurses.

Shanks' employer also failed to take any disciplinary action against her, the lawsuit alleges.

Shanks' lawyer, Chris Wayland, said she will vigorously defend the lawsuit and will be filing a statement of defence in the next few weeks. He declined to comment further.

Pyselman's lawyer, Jaan Lilles, also declined to comment and hasn't yet filed a statement of defence.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Although there is no legal action against him, when contacted Friday about the allegations contained in the statement of claim, Westcott said: 'I respectfully decline to comment.'

On its website, Markham Fertility Centre, in Ontario, Canada, says Wendy Shanks 'offers not only a wealth of expertise and knowledge but a high level of compassion and commitment to her field, her profession, and to the health and happiness of each of her patients'.